Police beat

Armed man robs Kroger pharmacy

The Pataskala Division of Police last week was searching for an armed robber who stole oxycodone Oct. 30 from the Kroger pharmacy at 350 E. Broad St.

Police Chief Bruce Brooks said the man entered the Kroger pharmacy around 9 a.m. and handed the worker a note, asking for oxycodone.

He showed the worker a gun, Brooks said. The man was given the drugs and he left the store.

Brooks said workers followed and watched him get in a small silver car being driven by someone else.

The license plate was blocked by a piece of cardboard.

Brooks said the robber was described as a tall man, possibly of mixed race, wearing blue jeans and a light-colored hooded sweatshirt.

Brooks said police had not determined the value of the drugs as of last week.

Police are asking anyone with information about the robbery to call 740-927-5701.

In other recent incident reports from the Pataskala Division of Police:

* Police were called to the Duke gas station, 110 E. Broad St., at 4:38 p.m. Oct. 27 after someone entered the restroom and found a loaded handgun on the toilet paper dispenser.

Brooks said police confiscated the weapon and watched video from the station, which showed a woman was the last person to enter the restroom.

A woman from out of state later called and identified the weapon as hers.

Brooks said it would be returned to her.

* Police arrested six people -- one of whom drove a car into a building -- in the past week for being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Brooks said officers charge suspects based on information they know and can modify the charges if the situation changes. He said in the case of motorists, an officer might have to use a different charge, simply under the influence, if the officer cannot prove the person was driving at the time of the infraction.

For example, a 23-year-old man was arrested for being under the influence after he drove into an apartment building on Township Road at Blacks Road at 9:54 p.m. Oct. 25.

One person was in the apartment at the time and the person was not injured, the police report said.

Another 23-year-old man was arrested for OVI and for being under the influence at 11:55 p.m. Oct. 24 on Summit Road at Graham Road, and a third 23-year-old man was arrested for being under the influence at 12:46 a.m. Oct. 25 on Broad Street at International Drive.

The other arrests for being under the influence were a 29-year-old man at 12:42 a.m. Oct. 27 on Broad Street west of Summit Road; a 38-year-old man at 1:51 a.m. Oct. 27 on Taylor Road at Broad Street; and a 48-year-old man at 10:52 p.m. Oct. 29 in the 14000 block of Graham Road.